Knotter



M 7, 1931. E. E. BOYCE 1,813,725

KNOTTER Filed May 2, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTQR.

A TTORNEYS.

July], I931. E. E. BOYCE 1,813,725

KNOTTER Filed May 2,' 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

1 ATTOR 'EYS.

Jufly 7, 1931. E. E. BOYCE 1,813,725

IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

E. E. BOYCE July 7, 1931.

KNOTTER Filed May 2, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

BY W ATTORNEYS.

July 7, 1931.

E. E. BOYCE 1,813,725

KNOTTER Filed May 2, 1928' 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 B 27 H A12 4 z i I IINVENTOR. MM 6:- Wk BY ATTOR YS.

E. E. BOYCE July 7, 1931.

KNOTTER 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR. W 8 1 A TTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE .ERSKINE E. BOYCE, OF CORONADO, CALIFORN1Amomma J Application filed Kay 2, 1928. Serial No. 274,536.

This invention relates to mechanism for tying a weavers knot, and in thepresent preferred form takes the form of a hand knotter.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and efiicient knotterof novel and 50 Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device, with parts of thecover removed to better show.

the mechanism,

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of parts shown in Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a view on line 4-4 of Fig. 2, and showing one thread inposition,

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2, with the mechanism inits starting position. 1

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig; 2, with the mechanismshown in the position occupied duringthe latter part of its cycle ofoperation.

Fig. 7 is a section taken on'line 88 of 35 Fig. 2, with the mechanism inthe position shown in Fig. 5,

Fig. 8- is a side elevation taken on line 88 of Fig. 2 with themechanism in the position occupied at the end of the cycle of 4i)operation,

Figs. 9-19, inclusive, are views of parts of the mechanism in varyingpositions and illustrate the evolution of the knot.

Fig. 20 shows the form of the final knot '45 produced on the device; butin open condition.

Referrin to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2: themain frame of the device, which supports the operating 50 mechanism,comprises the side frame plates 1 and 2, which are suitably attachedtogether in spaced relation by the block 3, to which the side plates arefastened by suitable means, and the pins 4, 5 and 7; to thereby presenta substantially rigid supporting frame. A suitable handle 8 is attachedto this frame, and cover plates, such as 9 and 10, (Fig. 1) arepreferably provided for protecting the mechanism.

The plates 1 and 2 are provided respectively with opposite slots ornotches 11, 12 and 13, 14, positioned slightly beyond the block 3; andthe portions 15 and 16 separating. the respective slots are brought to apoint. The bottom of slot'12 is substantially lower than the bottom ofslot 11, (see also Fig. 19) while the bottom of the slot 13 issubstantially lower than the bottom of slot 14, and the bottom of theslot 13 is preferably offset as shown in Fig. 1. These slots serve toinitially support in extended position,-the strands of thread to bejoined; as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

A driving member 17 (see also Figs. 5 and 6), which furnishes the motivemeans for operating the mechanism, is 'rotatably mounted on the spindle18 by means of the sleeve 19 formed integral therewith and which sleeveis rigid with the spindle 18. The member 18 carries a gear rack segment20 adjacent its periphery, and a cam portion having a cam face shoulder21 and a cam face 22. The lever or trigger 23 is rigidly connected tothe member .17 'and provides means for rotating the driving member-17 inan anti-clockwise direction as'viewed in Figs; 5 and 6. The stop 24(Fig. 2) serves to limit the movement of the trigger to the desiredthrow,.and a suitable spring (not shown) but preferably coiled about thesleeve 19, is provided for returning the trigger and member 17 to thestarting position of Fig. 5.

A rotary driven shaft 25 is suitably journaled in the block?) at itsforward end and in bracket 26, attached to plate 1, at its rear end, andhas secured thereto a collar 27. A pinion gear 28 is loosely mounted onthe shaft 25 in mesh with the rack 20, and is restrained from forwardaxial movement by the collar 27, and from rearwa axial movement by a pin29 extend ng fro a d shaft. The gear 28 is provided. with 5 n 30extending rearwardly to engage th pin 29 for driving said shaft. A'limit stop 31 is mounted on the bracket 26 and extends above pin 30 freefrom engagement therewith but in the path of movement of pin 29, and isadapted to yieldably limit the rotation of the shaft 25 in a clockwisedirection while permitting a greater degree of rotation in ananti-clockwise direction. A helical torque spring 32 surrounds the shaft25 and is secured at one end to a pin 33 and at the-other end to thecollar 27; being so formed that it is wound up upon the rotation ofshaft 25 in an anti-clockwise direction, as' viewed from the left ofFigures 5 and 6, to thereby return shaft 25 in a clockwise direction.

A tying bill, which will be designated in its entirety as 34, comprises(Figs. 3 and 6) two outer jaws and 36 between whlch is pivoted at 34 amovable jaw 37. The jaws 35 and 36 are provided with rea'rwardlyextending portions which are rigidly attached to the shaft'25, as at thebearing member 38, which is journaled in the block 3; and

the pivotal jaw 37 is provided with a rearwardly extending enlargement37 whose rear end is seated in a circular bore formed in block 3eccentric to the shaft 25, the eccentric being so formed that when thetying bill 34* is in the position shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5, the pivotaljaw 37 will. be in substantial register with the outside jaws 35 and36,.thereby assuming a closed position,

and when the bill 34'reacl1es the position shown in Fig.6, thejaws willbe separated as shown, and. upon further rotation of the bill 34 in anvanti-clockwise direction the jaws will again be closed,finally-reaching the fully closed osition when the jaw has assumed theposit1on shown in Figs. 15 and 16.

Referring more particularly to Figs. ,2, 4, 5 and 19: a hook 39 isattached to block 3 and rojects forwardly therefrom with the hoo ed endprojecting downwardly, and the top of the hook member is provided with adownwardly gradually rounded upper portion. The opening in-the hook isin line with slots 12 and 14, so that a thread line extended betweenslots 12 and 14 will lie in 'a plane passing through the hook.

member 17, the slide plate 40 will be moved 7 forward until the latch 44passes up onto the cam face 22 (Fig. 6), which is adapted to hold theplate 40 in its forward position until the latch passes over the rearend of the cam face 22; at which time a tension spring 47 ,whose forwardend is attached to the plate 40 and whose rear end is attached to thepin 7 will retract the plate 40 to its normal position. "The forward endof the latch 44 is tapered or beveled to permit it to be moved outwardlyby the rear side of the adjacent cam projection to thereby permit thedriving member 17 to return to its normal position under the influenceof the spring 32. The extreme forward end of plate 40 is provided withcan u Ward extension 48, the upper end of which terminates in a hook 49(Figs. 2 and 6). The hook 49 lies closely adjacent the rear side of thehook 39, and when the parts are in the starting position, is insubstantial alignment therewith as shown in Fig. 5.

An arm 50 is pivotally attached to the plate 40 as at 51 (Fig. 5) and isprovided with a cam slot- 52, through which extends a pin 6 rigidlysupported by the block 3; the pivotal attachment 51 acting to impartreciprocal motion to the arm 50 and'the slot 52 in cooperation withthepin 6 being adapted to impart oscillatory motion to the arm 50; the arm50 being movable in a slot in the block 3. The forward. end of the arm50 (Fig. 6) is provided with an offset downwardly extending end 53terminating in a bifurcation providing a pair of spaced upturned hooks54, (Figs. 2', 4 and 19) which in the starting position are closelyadjacent the front side of the hook 39, but somewhat belowthe hook 39and in such position that upon their upward movement they will engage astrand-of thread passing between slots 12 and 14. A supplemental hook 55(Figs. 2, 6 and 19) is attached to the end of the arm 50 and is offsetlaterally and positioned somewhat above the hooks 54; the hook 55, thehooks 39 and 49 and the bottom of slot 12 being in substantial beingpositioned in a plane above the rear-- wardly extending shank of thebill 34.

It is to be noted in this connection (Figs. 9 and 19) thatv a threadpassing through slot 14 and over hook 55, beneath hooks 39 and 49 andthrough slot 12 adjacent the bottom thereof'will be so supported that aportion adjacent hooks 39 and 49 will be .attached at their upperrearward end, descup ignated as 60, to the rear plate 2 adjacent the pin5, (Fig. 3). The inner jaw extends downwardly and terminates in alaterally extending pin which passes through a slotted opening in anoperating lever 61, which is pivotally supported on pin 5, and whichextends downwardly to the right as viewed in Figs. 5 and 6, thenupwardly, terminatingin an upper cam engaging en 62 adapted=to beengaged by. the cam shoulder 21. 'The arm 61 is normally resilientlyheld in the position shown in Fig. 5 by means of a helical torsionspring 63 mounted on the pin 5 and attached at one end to plate 1 and atthe other end to the arm 61. In its normal position the arm holds thejaw 59 separated from the cooperating jaws 57 and 58 as shown in Fig. 5,thereby presenting the bill 56 in the open position when the device isin its inltialposition; and uponengagement of the upper end 62 of thearm 61 by the cam shoulder 21 the jaws of the bill 56 are closed tothereby cut and clamps, thread extending therebetween. The bill 56 is soproportioned andp'ositioned that the spaced hooks 54 will pass closelyadjacent to, and one on each side of the bill 56 .and into ali nmentwith the openin in the bill.

I: reciprocable slide memier 64 (Figs. 2, 7 and 8) is slidably supportedon pins 65 projecting inwardly from plate 2 and passing through a slot66 formed in the Inember64; and the member 64 is held in place on thepins 65 by means of a-washer plate 67 held in position by suitable headsformed on the in 65. The plate 64 passes through a slot in the block 3.The forward end of the member 64 projects downwardl and again upwardlyin general U formatlon, and the -upward outer side of'the U is providedwith a recess forming a slight hook 68 which at the start is in suchposition with respect to the slot'll that a thread passingfrom the slot11 across to slot 18 will be engaged by the hook 68. A recess 69 isformed in the other side'of the U and is similarly positioned withrespect to the bottom of slot 12.

The rear end of the member 64 is provided with a cam pin 70 which isadapted to be engaged by a cam finger 71 carried on cam 72, which isrigidly attached to axle 18,

to thereby provide for moving the slide member 64 to the left as viewedin Figs. 7 and 8, and the in 70 is also in the nth of movement of t ecam projection 3 also formed as an integral part of cam 72 and adaptedupon engagement with the pin 70 to move the slide member 64 in theopposite direction.

I A stripper arm 74 is pivotally supported, on a shaft 75, secured tothe plate 2, and lies closely adjacent to the side of the slide member64. The forward end of the stripper 74 extends abruptly downwardly andoutwardly and is provided with engaging hooks 76 and 77; the hook 76being positioned to engage the thread passing through slot 12 and thehook 77 being positioned to engage the thread passing through slot 11.The rear' end of the stripper 74 is provided with a cam engaging portion78 adaptedto be engaged by the cam finger 79 formed integral with thecam 72, to thereby provide means for lifting the stripper to theposition shown in Fig. 8. attached at one end to the stripper arm '74and at its other end to the plate 2, to thereby provide'means forreturning the stripper arm 74-to the position shown in Fig. 7. Thestripper 74 in the starting position passes through a slot formed in theblock 3.

' It is to be understood, as will be appreciated by those skilled in theart, that the proper timing of the device will be in accordance with thefollowing description of the operation of the mechanism; and that theexact proportions and suitable formation of the parts will be arrangedso that the device will operate in the manner now to be described.

Operation The operative .takes hold ofthe device by inserting thefingers of the left hand through the handle 8, with the opposite end ofthe device facing in a general direction toward him. and with the thumbof his left hand -in position to engage the trigger lever 23.

thread lying (Fig. 19) over the hook 55 behind the upwardly extendingtjp of the bill 34, over the rearwardly extending shank of the bill 34,over the hooks 54, and under the hooks 39 and 49; the thread beingsupported by book 55. The other thread B is ex- Asuitable tension spring80 is tended ,in a similar manner through and between. the slots 11 and13, across the shank the various hooks above described, as viewed .inFig. 19. With the threads thus positioned in the device, the operativeengages the trigger lever 23..with the.thumb of his left hand andpresses the same downwardly, thereby from the hook 39;

effecting the cycle of operation. now to be more fully described indetail, with particular reference to Figs. 4 and 9 to 17, inclusive.

Upon the initial movement of the trigger 23, the driven member 17 isrotated forwardly .and downwardly, thereby moving the cam shoulder 21forwardly .and downwardly and through its engagement with the latch 44,sliding the member 40 forwardly, resulting in simultaneously moving thehook. 49

forwardly and in moving the hooks 54' and 55 first upwardly and thenforwardly from the position s'hownfin Fig. 4 to the position sho-wninFigs. 9 and 10. During-this-step the thread -'-A' remains engaged bythevdownwardly turned hook 39,'to thereby hold j that portion of the threadagainst upward and forward movement, while the adjacent portion of thesame thread has been engaged by the hook 49 to move it forwardlyunderneath the thread--B, andsimultaneously thehooks 54 have engaged thethread at a point on the other side of the hook 39 to move it upwardlyand across the top of thread 'B to thereby form a loop 81, the bight ofwhich is engaged by the hook 39 and the open. ends of .whichextendrespectively on opposite sides of the thread B-. This step alsoresults in the hook 55 carrying the thread A over the top of the tyingbill 34, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, and that portion of the threadengaged by the hooks 54 has been moved forward and into the open jaws ofthe cutting and clamping bill 56. During this operation the threads areheld by the fingers of the'operative under slight tension but permittingthe thread A,- to be drawn through the slot 12 to furnish the necessarylength for movement of the thread to the position shown in Fig. 10.During the above movement of the driving member 17, the pinion gear 28has been freely rotated substantially one revolution on its shaft 25 sothat the pin 30 carried thereby is moved around to the opposite side ofpin 29 without rotating the shaft 25.

The next step consists in giving further downward movement to the member23 thereby causing pin 30 to engage pin 29 and rotate the shaft 25 andthe bill 34 carried thereby to give them an initial rotative movementwhich carries the bill to the position shown in Fig. 11, during whichtime the slide member 64 is moved forward by and B against the side "2as shown in Fig. 11. Upon further rotation of the bill, the forwardlyextending open ends of the loop 81 are engaged by the tying bill, and,as the bill moves down to the position shown in Fig. 12, the bight oftheloop 81 is moved downwardly to thereby'release the same U on furtherrotation of the tying bill 34, t e loop .81 is moved by the bill34, sothat the bight of the loop 81 is inengagement with the adjacent portionof thread -B-, with the result that the loop 82 is formed in thread B-,as shown in Fig. 13, and following this, the tail end of thread -B as itslips over the elbow of the bill 34, is moved over and across the loop81 to the position shown in Fig. 13. During this operation the jaws ofthe tying bill 34-have been opened and .are ready to engage the tail endof thread 'B the-open jaws now lying directly beneath the tail of thread-B The cam latch 44' (Fig. 6) has now traveled up toward the end of thecam face.22,and upon further pressure on the trigger 23 passes over 'theend of the cam face to thereby permit the spring 47 to retract plate 40,thereby returning hook 49 and hooks 54 and 55 to their normal positionas indicated in Fig. 14. At the same time the cam shoulder 21 comes intoengagement with end 62 of arm 61 to thereby close the jaws of thecutting and clamping bill. 56, so that the tail end of thread -A will beheld in position shown in Fig. 14. The tying bill 34 now engages thetail of strand B and the bills 34 and 56 substantially simultaneouslycut off and clamp the respective tail ends of strands B and -A,'as shownin Fig. 15. During this operation the pin29 engages the end of springstop 31, and upon further movement, deflects thesame, thereby allowingthe bill to be moved slightly past its initial position: and also duringthis operation the cam finger 79 (Fig. 8) engages the rear end 78 of thestripper arm 74 to rotate the same upwardly to thereby engage threads Aand -B in the respective notches 76 and 77. Upon completing thismovement of the trigger, the stripper arm 74 moves up to the positionsshown in Figs. 16 and 17 to thereby pull the more or less completelyformed knot 83 off the end of tying bill 34, and pull the tail end ofthread --B completely around loop 81 and back under the body of threadB-.

the stop 24, and upon being released by the operative, is returned toits normal osition, by a suitable spring (not shown The spring 32rotates. the shaft 25 to bringthe tying bill back to its normalposition, which is definitely fixed by. engagement of pin 29 with stop31, which offers sufficient resistance against a force fromthisdirection to counteract the unwound, condition of spring 32. Theother parts are returned to their respective normal positions by meanshereinbefore described. 7

From an understanding of the above description in connection with thedrawings, it will be seen that I have provided a novel and useful devicehaving means for supporting two threads in extended position across thedevice in respective slots 12--14-. and 11--13, and both initially lyingon the same side of the tying bill 34, with one of the threads A-releasably held in a position below the adjacent portion of thesecondthread B- (Fig. 19) as by the fixed hook 39. The device is furtherprovided with means, the forwardly reciprocating hook 49 and theupwardly and forwardly reciprocating hooks 54, for moving portions ofthe first thread, which lie adjacent opposite sides of the holdingmeans, respectively above and below and transversely ofthe secondthread, to thereby form a loop around the second thread, and forinserting one side of the loop in the normally open jaws of a cuttingand clamping device 56; and a means, such as hook 55, is provided forlifting the first thread over and to the opposite side; of the tyingbill. Means is PIOVIdGd' for rotating the tying bill to engage the sidesof the loop formed in the first thread and for releasing the bight ofthe same from the holding means, thereby allowing the bight to come intoengagement with the adjacent portion of the second thread, which uponfurther rotation of the tying bill,causes a loop to be formed in thesecond thread, and .the two threads to be partially coiled around the Itying bill (Fig. 13). The tying bill is provided with cutting andclamping means and the jaws thereof are opened and brought into aposition where they engage the tail of the second thread to thereby cutand clamp the same (Figs. 14 and 15.) Means 64 is pro- I vided forclamping the body end of the two threads to the device during theformation of the knot. The device is further providedwith strippingmeans 74-to engage the body of the two threadsbetween the ,tying billand the respective points where they are clamped to the device, and thestripping means comes into operation after the tying bill and the othercutting and clamping means have been moved to cut and clamp the twotails of the thread, (Fig. 16) and after the tail of the thread which isheld in the cutting billhas been passed partially around tying bill, andthereby pulls the tail ofth *0 g second thread, held in the tying bill,between the two loops and under the second thread,

and thereafter pulls the knot taut Fig. 17).

The various mechanisms of the device are automatically taken back totheir respective normal positions after the operative releases thecontrol trigger of the device, and the threads are thereupon releasedand may be removed from the machine properly joined together by a truewcavers knot. It will therefore be seen that the device providesmechanism for carrying on all operations mechanically and in propersequence, from the time that the threads are initially inserted into thedevice until the completion of a true Weavers knot, as clearlyillustrated in the drawings.

Having thus described my invention with reference to its preferred form,it will be obvious to those skilled in the art, after understanding myinvention, that various changes and modifications may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and Idesire to cover all formsand modifications coming within the language orscope of any one or more of the appended claims.

WVhat I claim is:

1. In a knotter, the combination of guides for looping one threadtransversely aroundanother thread, a tying bill positioned to rotateagainst said loop and arranged to shear and clamp one end of said otherthread, and means for looping said cut thread around said first loop.

3. In a knotter, the combination of means for looping one threadtransversely around a second thread, a tying bill positioned. to rotateagainst said loop and arranged to shear and clamp one end of the secondthread, and means for looping said second thread around said first loopwith the cut end of said second thread passing between said secondthread and said first loop, to thereby form a true weavers knot.

4. In a knotter in combination, a tying bill having cutting and.clamping means,

means for supporting a thread across said bill, means for looping asecond thread around said first thread with the sides of the loopextending beyond said first thread, means for rotating said bill toengage the sides of said loop and upon further rotation of said' bill tocause the same to cut and clamp the tail of said first thread, and meansfor cuttin' the tail of said other thread.

Said loop anduponfurther rotation of said bill to cause the same to cutand clamp the tail of said first thread,means for cutting the tail ofsaid second thread, and means for I stripping said partially formed knotfrom said bill to thereby complete a true weavers knot.

6. In a knotter in combination, a tying bill having cutting and clampingmeans, means for supporting a thread across sald bill,

"means for looping a second thread around said first thread with thesidesof the loop extending beyond saidfirst thread and for holdingv saidloop in position, means for rotating said bill to engage the sides ofsaid loop and upon further rotation of said bill to cause the same tocut and clamp the tail of. said first thread, and means for cutting thetail of said second thread. 7

7, In a knotter in combination, a tying bill having cutting and clampingmeans, means for supporting a thread across said bill, means for loopinga second thread around said first thread with the sides of the loopextending beyond said first thread and for holding said loop in positionwith the bight of said loop positively held but releasably supported,means for rotating said bill to engage the sides of said loop and uponfurther rotation of said bill to cause the same to cut and clamp thetail of said first thread, and means for cutting the tail of said secondthread.

8. In a knotter in combination,'means for supporting a thread, means forlooping a second thread around said first thread and for holding saidloop positively supported with the bight thereof releasably held andwith the sides of said loop extending beyond said first thread, meansfor engaging the sides of said loop on the opposite side of the firstthread from the bight of the loop and for releasing the bight from itssupport, and means for cutting and for clamping the tail of said firstthread.

9. In a knotter in combination, means for supporting a thread, means forlooping a Second thread around said first thread and for holding saidloop positively supported with the bight thereof releasably held andwith the sides of said loop extending beyond said first thread, meansfor engaging the sides of said loop and for releasing the bight from itssupport, means for cutting and for clampin the tail of said firstthread, and means or cutting the tail of said second thread. 10. In aknotter in combination, means for supportingia thread, means for loopinga second thread around said first thread and for holding saidlooppositively supported with the bight thereof releasably held and withthe sides of said loop extending beyond said first thread means forengaging the sides of saidloop and for releasing the bight from itssupport, means for clamping the body of both threads, and means forcutting and for clamping the tail of said first thread. 11. In aknotter, in combination, a rotary tying bill, means for supporting twothreads on one side of said bill, means for supportingly engaging andreleasably holding thefirst of said threads, means for moving portionsof said first thread from the opposite sides of said holding means andacross said second thread and respectively on opposite sides of thelatter to thereby form a loop the bight of which is supported by saidholding means and the two sides of which extend beyond said otherlthreadand lie in the path of rotation of said bill.

12. In a knotter, incombination, a rotary tying bill, means forsupporting twothreads on one side of said bill, means for supportinglyengaging and releasably holding one of said threads, mechanism formoving portions of said first thread from the opposite sides of saidholding means to thereby form a loop the bight of which is supported bysaid holding means and the two sides of which extend beyond said secondthread and lie in the path of rotation of said bill, said mechanismcomprising, means moving upwardly and then transversely to the secondthread :to carry one of the portions of said first thread transverselyover said second thread, and means moving transversely to saidsecondthread to carry the other of said first thread portions transverselyunder said second thread.

13. In a knotter, in combination, a'rotary tying bill having means forcutting and clamping the second of two threads, means for supportingsaid two threads at one side of said bill, means for supportinglyengaging and releasably holding one of said threads, mechanism formoving portions of said first thread from the opposite sides of saidholding means to thereby form a loop ing means and the two sides ofwhich extend beyond said second thread and lie in the 123' the bight ofwhich is supported by said holdwith one portion of one thread releasablyheld below the adjacent portion of the second thread, means for moving aportion of said first thread from one side of said relea-sably heldportion and transversely beneath said second thread, and means formoving a portion of said first thread from the other side of saidreleasably held portionover and transversely across said second thread.1

-15. Ina knotter, in combination, a rotary tying bill, means for holdingtwo threads 'across. said bill on the same side sthereof with oneportion of one thread releasably held below the adjacent portion of thesec-' ond thread, means for moving a portion of said first thread'fromadjacent one side of said releasably held portion transversely beneathsaid second thread, and means for moving a portion of said first threadfrom adjacent the other side ofsaid releasably held portion over andtransversely across said second thread and over andto the other side ofsaid tying bill.

16. In a knotter, in combination, a rotary tying bill having cutting andclamping means, means for holding two threads across said bill on thesame side thereof with one portion of one thread releasably heldbelowthe adjacent portion of the second thread, means for moving a portion ofsaid first thread from adjacent one side of said releasably. heldportion transversely beneath said second thread, means for moving aportion of said first thread from adjacent the other sid of saidreleasably held portion over and transversely across said second threadand to the other side of said'tying bill, and means for cutting theportion of said first thread, which extends transversely over saidsecond thread and for clamping the cut end to hold it in position.

17. In a knotter, in combination, a rotary tying bill having cutting andclamping means, means for holding two threads across said bill on thesame side thereof with one portion of one thread releasably held belowthe adjacent portion of the sec ond threadfin'eans' for moving a portionof said first thread from adjacent one side of said releasably heldportion and transversely beneath said second thread, meansfor moving aportion of said first thread from adjacent the other side of saidreleasablyhcld portion and over and transversely across said secondthread and to the other side of said tying bill, means for.cutting theportion of said first thread which ex tends transversely over saidsecond thread and for clamping the cut end to hold it in position, andmeans including said bill for engaging said transversely extendingportions to move them to thereby release said held portion andthereafter to loop said other thread about said first thread and to cutand clamp the tail of said other thread and loop it about said firstloop and between said first and second loops.

18. In a knotter, in combination, means for holding two threads inadjacent extended position, and mechanism'for doubling one of saidthreads over the second to thereby form a loop extendin around andtransverse to said other threa said mecha-'- 'nism including a firstmember to releasably hold the bight of said loop, a reciprocating memberon one side of 'said first member, and a reciprocating member on theother side of said first member.

19. In a knotter, in) combination, means.

for holding two threads in adjacent extended position, mechanism fordoubling one of said threads over the second to thereby form a loopextending around and transverse to said second thread, and means forcutting the tail of said loop, said mechanism including a first memberto releasably hold the bight of said loop, a reciprocating member on oneside of said first member, a bifurcated reciprocatin member on the otherside ofsaid first mem er for delivering said tail to said cutting meansin adjacent supported position.

20. In a knotter, in combination, a rotary .tying bill,' means forholding) two threads in adjacent extended position on thesame side ofsaid bill, mechanism for doubling one of said threads over the second tothereby form a loop extending around and transverse to saidrotherthread, means for cutting In testimony whereof I have signed my name tothis specification.

ERSKINE E. BOYCE.

